Portland gets NextGen technology in 2013

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Starting next year, officials at Portland International Airport in Oregon will use NextGen technology from the Federal Aviation Administration to improve airport efficiency.
The new developments are part of the organization's quest to improve the air traffic control landscape in the United States, saving the aviation industry time and money while also making it safer to fly passenger and cargo traffic domestically.
The new Portland technology revolves around an Area Navigation (RNAV) approach, an air traffic control procedure that uses satellites as plane-navigation aids. Current procedures, according to a press release, aren't as accurate as this new technology. Officials in Portland will soon see that aircraft will save fuel, make less noise and have less of a carbon footprint.
“These new procedures in Portland are the building blocks of NextGen,” Ray LaHood, U.S. transportation secretary, said in a statement. “NextGen initiatives
underway in major regions across the country are helping deliver more
on-time flights for consumers, reducing fuel consumption for airlines
and creating an even safer aviation system.” - Jon Ross